The Haunted Mansion
by Morrigan Harker
Summary: A paranormal investigator investigates the Gracey Manor to find out her missing father's past, and instead must break a demonic curse to save the mansion's doomed souls and the lives of her and her boyfriend. Please read & review
1. Carmen's Despair

The Haunted Mansion, all associated characters and/or attributes, © 1969–2009 Walt Disney Pictures. All other characters and content, © 2009 Jesse L. Turner, and may not be used without express permission.

WARNING: For those of you wondering, this storyline is of my own creation and has NOTHING to do with the 2003 film _The Haunted Mansion_ with Eddie Murphy. I will provide references at the end of each chapter to those who have not been on the attraction.

Okay, here we go (finally, I know). I will leave notes at the end of each chapter so you don't feel lost when it comes to characters and attributes from the ride.

**The Haunted Mansion**

**Chapter I: Carmen's Despair**

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_Newspaper article from _The New Orleans Daily, _August 31, 1995:_

**PROFESSOR MISSING**

_Cedric Walker, PhD, professor of human geography at Tulane, disappeared from the city last week and there is evidence to indicate that he may be dead. New Orleans police suspect foul play, though friends and family have insisted that this could not be possible._

_"I seriously don't know why someone would kill him," says his sister Sadie Walker. "He has no enemies, he's never done anything wrong. Why would someone want to kill Cedric? His little girl will grow up never knowing her own father!"_

_Dr. Cedric Walker is survived by his daughter: Carmen Walker, age five. Sadie Walker has been granted custody of the child due to the death of Dr. Walker's wife, Tabitha, four years ago._

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FOURTEEN YEARS LATER…

_From the diary of Carmen Walker_

_For as long as I can remember, I have been told that I look so much like the father I never knew. I secretly wish I knew what happened to him; no one will tell me what happened. Maybe it's because no one really knows. Maybe they just don't want to tell me. If that's the case, I just want to find out for myself._

Unfortunately, nineteen-year-old Carmen Walker _couldn't_ find out just yet. She still had her job with Tulane University's paranormal investigation team—an extracurricular activity she chose out of rebellion—and she had work to do. She was the case manager and couldn't leave the team suddenly.

The past fourteen years had been brutal—or at least to her, they were. In her panic of keeping the last of her brother's bloodline safe, Aunt Sadie had refused to tell her anything about her father's disappearance. Naturally, Carmen never gained closure and became incredibly rebellious.

Now, she drove her used Honda Civic through the university campus, each MISSING PERSON poster making her cringe more and more. The person the posters were for was her boyfriend of almost six months.

Hayden Mortenson was, in a word, odd. He was the type of man who burst into song at the most random moments (though, gratefully, he never did it in class) and walk around dressed in outfits that put Lestat to shame "just for the hell of it". In fact, Carmen met Hayden at a Halloween party because she wore the exact same costume as he did; they both dressed up as Hugh Jackman's Van Helsing, though Hayden commented that the length of her hair made her portrayal of the character more accurate. The next day, he asked her out, and they had been dating ever since.

A month ago, he left campus one evening to "check out a place he heard of", claiming he'd be back late that night. When he didn't come back the next morning, his roommate reported him missing.

Carmen remembered that morning like it was yesterday. She woke up to a phone call from Hayden's roommate, Eric Mays.

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"Hello?" Carmen answered the phone that morning, barely awake.

"Is this Carmen Walker?" Eric answered on the other end.

"It is."

"This is Eric Mays, Hayden's roommate. I'm sorry if I woke you." Eric's tone made her feel uneasy, even though he didn't tell her what happened.

"It's no problem. What's going on?" Carmen rubbed sleep out of her eyes, propping herself up on one arm as she held her cell phone to her ear.

"Hayden's missing" was all Eric said back. And it was enough for Carmen to get out of bed and get the details of his disappearance.

After a week of searching, the case went cold. Ever since, Carmen hadn't recovered. It was almost to the point that she believed she needed help.

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From the diary of Carmen Walker_

_I strongly feel like something is wrong with me. I barely leave my room except to run errands, get some exercise, do investigations, or go to class. Hayden's disappearance is really bothering me, but what really kills me is that this is similar to what happened to Dad. Someone had to report him missing, and I so hope that Hayden doesn't die. I'm not sure if I need professional help with this one. So much has happened that hasn't been explained, and I don't think that Aunt Sadie is going to budge anytime soon. She thinks it's for my own good; I just want to know what happened to him._

_Someone please tell me what happened to Dad and Hayden._

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AUTHOR'S REFERENCES**

So you don't feel completely lost:

**Carmen Walker**: a nineteen-year-old paranormal investigator at Tulane University. She is Cedric Walker's daughter and Hayden Mortenson's girlfriend. She is also the case manager for Tulane's paranormal society. Her appearance will be described later on in the story.

**Cedric Walker, PhD**: a professor of Civil War History at Tulane University, who disappeared in 1995 and is considered to be dead. He will be further described later on in the story.

**Hayden Mortenson**: Carmen's boyfriend who disappeared a month ago. He also works for Tulane's paranormal society, and is considered to be a bit of an oddball. He will be described later on in the story.

**New Orleans Daily, The**: This is not the real newspaper for New Orleans, but for the sake of the fanfic, let's just pretend it is. I didn't want to get entangled in copyright crap over a newspaper title.

**Sadie Walker/Aunt Sadie**: Cedric Walker's sister and Carmen Walker's aunt. Sadie stops Carmen from learning anything about her father's disappearance, claiming it was for her own good.

**Tabitha Walker**: Carmen Walker's mother and Cedric Walker's wife, Tabitha Walker died when Carmen was only one year old. Her cause of death is not mentioned.

**Tulane University**: A college in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since the Haunted Mansion is based in New Orleans, we are going to stay true to that for this fanfic. Okay? Okay.


	2. A Call from Gracey Manor

**Chapter II: A Call from Gracey Manor**

When she finally had the chance to relax for once, Carmen lay back on her bed, staring at the patterns the stucco made on the ceiling. Music was playing in the background, since it helped her keep her mind off of Hayden. However, Kamelot's song wasn't really helping, since it pretty much had to do with death.

_Darkness come tonight_

_I have no fear of what you hold_

_Darkness come alive_

_You are the stories I've been told_

Gratefully, the phone suddenly rang, making her turn off the boom box. Picking up the phone, she hoped it wasn't a telemarketer since Caller ID announced it as a PRIVATE CALLER.

"Carmen Walker," she answered, running a free hand through her mousy brown curls, tangled from napping on her couch an hour or two before.

"Miss Walker, I am from Gracey Manor," a proper English voice came over the speaker. "I wish to schedule an investigation of our grounds with your… organization." The caller continued.

"What have you been experiencing?" Carmen's paranormal training kicked in.

"We have been experiencing apparitions and potential poltergeist activity. Our staff has seen apparitions join their reflections in the mirrors and have also heard voices come from an abandoned room in the house." The voice continued to be very proper and very emotionless. Carmen was starting to get a little nervous.

"Can you please describe the poltergeist activity going on?" she continued.

"Candelabras have lifted off tables and floated down the halls, and the suits of armor in the armory tend to move about under their own power," Carmen secretly tried to imagine suits of armor rattling around, but she decided to concentrate on what the man was saying. "Also, there is an odd presence in the house and the master claims it to feel insidious to the nature of this house."

"You mean like an elemental?" That was more of Hayden's territory. Why would they be asking _her_ to investigate an elemental?

"If that is the term for a seemingly dark presence, then yes." The man concluded.

"I'll discuss the case with the team. Just one question: may I ask where Gracey Manor is?" As the man gave her directions to the estate, Carmen took notes on the back of her Paranormal Society notebook.

"… Past the old Miller Road." The man finally finished after what seemed to be a moment of directions.

"Okay, thank you." Carmen smiled, reading the directions.

"It is an old home, Miss Walker," the man surprisingly continued, "And my employer is anxious to rid ourselves of these…disturbances. Would it be possible for you to come…alone…to discuss the situation?"

Carmen instantly became uneasy, memories of Hayden's disappearance coming back to haunt her. She pushed them aside before they broke her self-control and focused on the call. _Don't break down in front of a client!_

"But the society works as a team, sir. It's mainly for efficiency and accuracy."

"The master usually does not take visitors. However, from your photograph, he thought of you to be very trustworthy. About your associates, he felt, uh… _differently_."

Carmen rolled her eyes; the flyer that the society had recently distributed throughout the city showed individual headshots of each team member. In her opinion, she and Hayden were the only ones that looked professional; she had worn a black blouse and Hayden wore a black dress shirt while everyone else wore t-shirts. "Oh. You got our flyer."

"The master has wished to meet you tomorrow evening." The man announced. _Okay,_ Carmen thought, _this is really pushing it._

"I'll talk to the team about it, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to make _tomorrow_."

"The master will understand if you cannot make it, Miss Walker. But he would really appreciate it if you came as soon as you are able to. Thank you for your time." The dial tone then came on over the speaker. Confused, Carmen then hung up the phone.

_From the investigation log of Carmen Walker_

_Someone just called about investigating some mansion outside the city. The man who called kept referring to his employer as "the master", as if he was a butler in a nineteenth-century estate instead of a twenty-first century mansion with potential paranormal activity. He told me that he and the master have seen apparitions in the hallways of the second floor and that they like to "join your reflections" in the mirrors of those same hallways. He also told me that the suits of armor in the armory like to move around by themselves (I'm not sure how to react to that one, but okay). He kept talking about a séance room with a woman in a crystal ball; I'm not sure how to handle that one, either. All in all, a very, very weird case, but what's even weirder is that he asked if I could come _alone_. I don't know how the team's going to react to this._

"They asked you to _what!_" Angela Johnson screamed at the emergency meeting for the Society the next morning. Carmen had told them everything that the man told her, and she was currently cringing internally at Angela's screeching.

"I know, guys, but you know how we have to comply with clients' wishes." Carmen pleaded. She somehow knew that they were going to react this way.

"Carmen, this walks the line between demanding and ridiculous. At least _one_ of us should come with you." Hunter Williams, the lead investigator of the team, pointed his finger to the table, clearly stating his point. Carmen fought back to urge to pout like a child.

"I'm really not sure, Hunter" was all Carmen could say back.

"Damn it, Carmen!" Sam Hill, the tech manager, rolled his eyes. "Hayden's disappearance was already enough for the team. What do you think would happen if they got you too?"

"We don't know if this case is the cause," Carmen defended her point. "And this is not about Hayden. This is about an elemental present in a house that _could be_ a demonic entity." _That_ got everyone to panic.

"All the more reason for us to come with you, Carmen!" Angela shrieked at the sound of the words "demonic entity". "You know, I'm just curious. Has Hayden's disappearance made you _suicidal_!" Carmen rolled her eyes; Angela was known for her dramatic nature.

"That's _enough_, Angela," Hunter's voice was low, harsh, and full of authority. After all, he was the lead investigator. "This is Carmen's decision, but Carmen, I want to ask you something, since this really _isn't_ like you."

"All right." Carmen answered.

"Just don't get mad, okay?" The lead investigator looked clearly uneasy about asking Carmen this question. He secretly hoped she wouldn't get angry with him for bringing up the one person he was practically forbidden to speak of in Carmen's presence.

"Just say it, Hunter." Carmen couldn't take the tension anymore.

"Is this about your dad?" He finally asked. The room was silent for a few moments. Angela and Sam were in shock. Everyone knew better than to mention Dr. Cedric Walker to Carmen; not even Hayden asked about him. Normally, Carmen would grab fistfuls of your shirt and make you swear upon the supreme being of your choice that you would never mention him again. If it were your first time to ask about her father, she would just ask you to not mention it again. But she didn't mind this time; she kind of saw this coming.

"Yes," she declared, desperate to keep a straight face. "And it's also because of Hayden."

Hunter didn't want to say this, but if it made Carmen happy… "Okay, Carmen. You can go by yourself."

"Hunter!" Angela protested, appalled at his decision.

"HOWEVER," Though his words were still directed towards Carmen, he spoke also to Angela, "I will ask this of you: if, AT ANY TIME, you confirm that the elemental is demonic, you come back and get us. It's not worth the risk if you're stuck in a house with a demonic entity by yourself."

"All right." Carmen shook her head, understanding his reasoning.

"You're leaving this evening?" Sam asked Carmen after the meeting was adjourned.

"Yes." Carmen nodded her head.

"In that case, good luck," Sam took her shoulder, "You may need it."

_From the private blog of Hunter Williams (GhostHunter1408)_

_I feel bad for Carmen Walker, my associate on the Paranormal Society. She seems to be going through one hell of an emotional roller coaster since her boyfriend Hayden disappeared. First the disappearance of her father, now this? She has told Angela and me about what her aunt Sadie doesn't want to tell her. Maybe I could talk to Sadie Walker and try to convince her to tell Carmen the truth._

_Here's why. When Hayden left, he left his roommate Eric Mays a note: _Went to check out a place with paranormal activity. Will be back early tomorrow morning. H. _It sounded to me like it was a trap; why they wanted him I don't know. But I really don't want Carmen to go to that house alone because I'm worried that this could be a trap for her as well. Maybe finding out what happened to her father may solve the secret of what happened to Hayden, and what could happen to Carmen if she's not too careful._

_Be safe, Carmen. We hope you find out what you're hoping to find out._

AUTHOR'S REFERENCES

**Angela Johnson**: The occasionally melodramatic investigator on the Tulane Paranormal Society. She is also the Society's historian.

**Gracey Manor: **The Haunted Mansion.

**Hunter Williams**: The lead investigator of the Paranormal Society.

**Sam Hill**: The Paranormal Society's tech master.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

I'm no Occult expert or parapsychologist, but these are the best definitions of supernatural phenomena I can give:

**Elemental**: a supernatural entity or force thought to be physically manifested by occult means (i.e. black magic)

**Demonic**: an evil spirit, especially one thought to possess a person or act as a tormentor. Most demonic entities are present in a location for either malicious intent or possession, and are one of the worst types—if not _the_ worst type—of paranormal activity.


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